New Coronavirus threat

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
It unfortunately seems that NZ's record on no new cases/transmissions of COVID-19 has ended, with four members of a household in Auckland testing positive, and there seems to be some question on where/how they were exposed.

NZ might need to do more widespread testing on a large scale to try and determine the number/scope of people without symptoms who are infected.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
Iran has under reported COVID infections and deaths according to the link attached. Absent is any mention of belt and road initiatives and military interactions with China that certainly introduced the virus to Iran. I wonder what Iranian leaders feel about Chinese silence at the beginning of the Wuhan outbreak. The genetic analysis indicates the virus mostly migrated east to west via Iran into Europe and then into North America.
Coronavirus: Iran cover-up of deaths revealed by data leak Data leak reveals Iran cover-up of Covid-19 deaths
Main points: claimed to be internal Iranian official data logging about three times the number of deaths & almost twice the number of identified cases reported by the central government.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
It unfortunately seems that NZ's record on no new cases/transmissions of COVID-19 has ended, with four members of a household in Auckland testing positive, and there seems to be some question on where/how they were exposed.

NZ might need to do more widespread testing on a large scale to try and determine the number/scope of people without symptoms who are infected.
UPDATE.
The Level 3 restrictions for Auckland and Level 2 restrictions for the rest of the country are to remain in force until 2359 hrs 26/8/2020 NZST. This will cover the 14 day incubation period. The source of the infection is unknown and preliminary genome testing indicates that it has not escaped from the current quarantine facilities. At present at cases belong to one cluster and the oldest known infection was 31/7/20, being a coolstore worker. There has been significant testing in Auckland and nationwide with 30,000 tests done yesterday and today. Testing is also being conducted at Auckland International Airport and at the Ports of Auckland. The coolstore is being tested as well because there are suggestions that the virus can survive quite a long time in a coolstore environment.

Covid 19 coronavirus: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - NZ to maintain current lockdown settings for 12 more days
 

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Some more information on anti-body defence against COVID, not encouraging.

In Germany in blanket studies 28.9% of those tested positive for Covid-19 by standard tests and surviving did not test positive for antibodies (tests were performed three months after an outbreak in a town, on a random 43% of the adult population).

In addition, 93.3% of the adult population in the town evaluated did not have antibodies, which besides lack of even a hint of herd immunity proves that low-symptomatic rates remain extremely low (16.8% were asymptomatic, 57.2% symptomatic and not tested, 26.0% symptomatic and positive).

 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
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  • #585
There were significant outbreaks in meat packing plants in North America. As these plants are likely cool to cold in most work areas, the lower temperatures may in fact result in the virus being able to survive longer.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
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  • #586
This is another new rapid COVID test. A read about another rapid test developed in the US last week but can’t recall its link. With the second wave likely starting in the fall, these are helpful for improving testing capacity.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
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The Atlantic Provinces quarantine strategy seems to be successful and perhaps other jurisdictions in North America should have followed this path. With school reopenings it will be interesting to see how Atlantic Canada fares compared to other parts of Canada this fall. I suspect things will be better there.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Unfortunately @John Fedup certain other North American jurisdictions aren't noted for their application of common sense. 'Tis the foibles of the human condition. We in NZ could very well say there but for the grace of God go us. This COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the best in some of our political elites and the worse in others, with the average fulla on the street paying the price either way. Unfortunately some pay the ultimate price because some of the political elite cannot get their act together.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
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Woodward's new book may produce some blowback on Junior's COVID response. To be fair, Dr. Tam, who is Canada's public health office was advising junior, replied on the WHO, an organisation that failed utterly or just as likely is a stooge for the CCP. Hard to say what the Canadian embassy intelligence people actually got from their US contacts but it clearly was ignored by Tam. She should be fired.

Woodward's Trump revelations raise questions about Canada's response to COVID-19
 

hauritz

Well-Known Member
Some depressing data in this article about global changes. Perhaps COVID is Mother Earth’s first step in addressing the problem, culling the human population.

The world does have a carrying capacity which in the end determines population growth and sustainability. In good times populations soar but these are cyclic and big surges in population are inevitably followed by die backs. To some extent human beings are currently living on credit, mostly in the form of fossil fuels. When that runs out and if no adequate replacement can be found then nature will quite quickly address the problem of overpopulation.
 

ngatimozart

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Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Woodward's new book may produce some blowback on Junior's COVID response. To be fair, Dr. Tam, who is Canada's public health office was advising junior, replied on the WHO, an organisation that failed utterly or just as likely is a stooge for the CCP. Hard to say what the Canadian embassy intelligence people actually got from their US contacts but it clearly was ignored by Tam. She should be fired.

Woodward's Trump revelations raise questions about Canada's response to COVID-19
Hard to say. She may have thought she was giving good advice based upon what was thought a reputable source. 20 / 20 hindsight is a wonderful thing. In NZ we didn't react until March and when we did, we went all out for better or for worse. It could also depend upon the message that a nation's leadership is willing to listen to and accept. There are many variables to consider.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
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A new small antibody Ab8 might prove useful as a therapeutic against COVID. Early days however but still good news as signs of a second wave are appearing.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Living life with the threat of Corvid-19 spread in Singapore — under the current Phase 2 reopening plan

1. High test rates and use of masks to prevent the heath system from being overwhelmed—Singapore swabbed nearly 900,000 people, more than 15% of its 5.7 million population, according to official data — one of the highest per capita rates globally. The city-state made masks mandatory in public in April. While experts have said more studies need be done, there is growing evidence that wearing masks helps reduce the prevalance and severity of the virus. The WHO has recommended the use of masks in combination with other social distancing measures.

"We have adopted a good mask culture in Singapore. This makes the disease milder," said Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases expert.​

2. As of 19 Sep 2020, Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed an additional 15 cases, with 1 case in the community, who is a Singaporean. There are 5 imported cases, who had all been placed on Stay-Home Notice upon arrival in Singapore. Many of the new cases are asymptomatic and were proactively detected, the MOH said. 27% of the new cases have no established links.

3. When the health system is not overwhelmed, Singapore hospitals can give better care and have started using awake prone positioning (PP) combined with high-flow nasal cannula, to reduce mortality rates — with just 27 deaths among the more than 57,000 people who have been infected with Covid-19 — keeping the death rate at 0.05% instead of the average of 3%. Read more at Explainer: Why Singapore's Covid-19 death rate is the world's lowest

4. Amongst the cases residing in dorms, many been identified earlier as contacts of previous cases and were tested during quarantine, said the MOH. The remaining cases were detected through surveillance testing, such as the bi-weekly rostered routine testing of workers living in dorms.

5. About 5,700 workers who are required to undergo the routine testing have yet to do so, said the Ministry of Manpower, Economic Development Board, Building and Construction Authority, and Health Promotion Board in a joint statement.

6. Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ measures comprise a three-phase plan for gradual re-opening. After more than two months of lockdown, it entered phase two – the safe transition period – on 19 Jun 2020, after which Singaporeans could dine out in restaurants and bars, and regain some sort of social life.

7. Most restaurants and bars have reopened. Under the phase two regulations, customers must receive mandatory temperature checks and contact tracing procedures when visiting the venues. Each table can only serve groups of five people, and there should be a one-metre space between the tables.

8. Singapore will gradually re-open borders for Singaporeans to conduct essential activities overseas and to allow safe travel for foreigners entering or transiting through Singapore. Necessary precautions and safeguards will be in place. As the global situation remains volatile, such moves will be assessed and implemented separately from the timing of the three phases of re-opening outlined.

9. Singapore will continue building on the city-state’s capabilities in the following areas:

(i) Expanding testing capacity to be able to diagnose cases early, screen all individuals at risk, and protect the more vulnerable groups​
(ii) Speed up contact tracing to identify and isolate close contacts of infected persons​
(iii) Ensure sufficient healthcare capacity to deal with any potential surges in cases​
If community transmission rates remain low, Singapore can then move to Phase 3, next.

10. The goal is to transition eventually to Phase 3 as the ‘new normal’ by 2021 (if conditions allow) and Singapore is expected to remain at this state until an effective vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 is developed. What’s expected to be allowed in a future Phase 3:
  • Social, cultural, religious and business gatherings or events would have resumed
    Gathering sizes would have to be limited in order to prevent large clusters from arising.

  • Seniors would be able to resume day-to-day activities

  • Safe distancing measures need to be practised, peak period travel, crowded places and large groups need to be avoided.
 
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OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
US President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19.

Trump made the announcement on his Twitter account on Thursday (Oct 1): "Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!"

Multiple White House staffers have tested positive for the virus, including Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, national security adviser Robert O'Brien, and one of the president's personal valets. Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before an Independence Day fireworks show at Mount Rushmore. Until the Oct 1 announcement, Trump had consistently played down concerns about being personally vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.
 
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John Fedup

The Bunker Group
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The forthcoming election has already been complicated by Trump’s false claims of potential fraud with mail in ballots. Now there is the possibility he may not be able to run and there is a very slight chance Biden may have been infected during the debate. If any of this happens, the election outcome will be a C-F. Meanwhile, how many more senior administration officials will become infected by Trump’s encouragement to ignore masks? This could be an opportunity for Xi and Putin to stir the pot.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
Biden has been tested. Negative. Trump has now gone to hospital, despite the White House having very good & well-staffed medical facilities.
 

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
The forthcoming election has already been complicated by Trump’s false claims of potential fraud with mail in ballots. Now there is the possibility he may not be able to run and there is a very slight chance Biden may have been infected during the debate. If any of this happens, the election outcome will be a C-F. Meanwhile, how many more senior administration officials will become infected by Trump’s encouragement to ignore masks? This could be an opportunity for Xi and Putin to stir the pot.
No, it will NOT be an opportunity to stir the pot. The pot-stirring has already been going on for some time now. There is the potential for everything to get dumped into a Waring blender and Xi, Putin, Kim or one of the others to then hit the frape button though.

Depending on how the case goes, it could (finally) trigger an Article 25 Section 4 action, though that could also make the balloting problematic and without precedent.

Also of interest is whether or not Biden will get re-tested after 5 days, as that is apparently part of the procedures for some of the more senior/important officials within gov't if they have been exposed. It does make sense given the rate for false results in testing, as well as the potential for a newly infected person to not have had sufficient internal spread to leave traces for tests to detect.
 

pussertas

Active Member
The forthcoming election has already been complicated by Trump’s false claims of potential fraud with mail in ballots. Now there is the possibility he may not be able to run and there is a very slight chance Biden may have been infected during the debate. If any of this happens, the election outcome will be a C-F. Meanwhile, how many more senior administration officials will become infected by Trump’s encouragement to ignore masks? This could be an opportunity for Xi and Putin to stir the pot.
Trump may be using his infection as part of a plan to 'save face' when he looses the election!
 
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